New iOS 15 Widget Stack Configuration Options

Apple introduced notable enhancements to Home Screen widget stacks in iOS 15, offering users greater intelligence and personalization. This update built upon the existing Smart Stack feature by introducing dynamic widget suggestions and an updated editing interface, allowing stacks to automatically surface timely information based on user habits and daily routines.

Widget Suggestions

The most prominent configuration option added in iOS 15 is Widget Suggestions. When editing a Smart Stack, users can toggle this feature on or off.

  • What it does: When enabled, iOS automatically injects a widget into your stack that you have not manually added, provided the system predicts you need it based on your past activity, location, or time of day.
  • User Control: If an automatically suggested widget appears, users can tap it to open the app, or long-press the widget and select "Add to Stack" to keep it permanently, or "Don't Suggest [App Name]" to prevent future recommendations.

Refined Smart Rotate Controls

While Smart Rotate was introduced in iOS 14, iOS 15 clarified its controls alongside the new suggestion feature:

  • Smart Rotate Toggle: Located directly beneath the widget list in the stack editing view, this switch allows users to choose whether iOS should automatically flip through stacked widgets throughout the day or remain fixed until manually swiped.
  • Coexistence with Suggestions: Users can keep Smart Rotate active while disabling Widget Suggestions, or vice versa, providing granular control over how dynamic the stack behaves.

In-Stack Reordering and Management

iOS 15 streamlined how users arrange widgets directly within the stack editor:

  • Drag-and-Drop Reordering: In the "Edit Stack" menu, users can press and hold the grabber bars on any listed widget to drag it up or down, setting a preferred manual order.
  • Quick Deletion: A dedicated minus icon (-) next to each widget makes it straightforward to remove individual items from a stack without deleting the entire stack from the Home Screen.

How to Access the New Stack Options

  1. Touch and hold any widget stack on the iOS 15 Home Screen.
  2. Select Edit Stack from the quick actions menu.
  3. Use the toggles at the bottom to enable or disable Smart Rotate and Widget Suggestions.
  4. Drag widgets to reorder them, or tap the minus icon to remove unwanted widgets.
  5. Tap the X or tap outside the editor to save the configuration.